Business idea in the new world recession, look here to find new inspiration.

[tiea-hunter]

Corporate Art Consultant
Start-up cost: $1,000–$5,000
Potential earnings: $35,000–$100,000
Typical fees: $50 per hour
Advertising: Web site with your credentials and an online gallery
sampling of your “art catalog,” trade publications, business
periodicals, service on local community boards or in
charitable organizations, networking
Qualifi cations: Degree in art or related fi eld, extensive gallery or museum
experience, interior design credentials
Equipment needed: Business cards, letterhead, envelopes, cell phone, digital
camera or scanner, laptop computer with Internet access
Staff required: No
Hidden costs: Membership dues, subscriptions to art periodicals, travel,
Web site development and maintenance

What You Do
Th e corporate art consulting business is where connoisseurship and corporate
image issues come together. It’s a rare combination, and you’ll need a strong eye for
art and a reputation for awareness of business image requirements to create a successful
enterprise. Th e art world often has trouble communicating with business
people. Your ability to move in both worlds will be a major factor in your success.

To a large degree you will be selling yourself, and you will do this by listening well,
understanding corporate culture, grasping the needs of your client, and presenting
each organization with choices that will enhance their workplaces and their image.
You will transform your own appreciation for art into a service that adds value to
your clients’ enterprises.
Th e ability to locate the perfect piece of art for the corporate environment
is rare. You’ll need to visit every art show or trade convention you can and collect
catalogs from dealers worldwide. Th en you’ll negotiate fair prices, which includes
using your expertise to help newly discovered artists price their work to sell.

What You Need
You’ll be meeting people at your clients’ premises, in galleries, and so on, rather
than at your own offi ce. As a result, your home offi ce will only have to support
your business needs, not to impress. In the beginning, particularly, you will need
to build your reputation through use of impressive direct mail pieces, networking,
and a high-quality Web site that showcases some of the work you have available.
Take a laptop computer ($2,000–$3,000) with you for presentations and log in
to your online catalog. Th en you will be speaking the language of business while
spreading the treasure of original art.

Keys to Success
Establishing yourself as a corporate art consultant will take time, determination,
and persistence. Comb the local business pages for stories or announcements
about new corporate offi ce buildings, which will likely need some artwork to make
their new offi ces truly outstanding workplaces. Where you live will control your
avenues of approach. Operating independently, without an association to back you
or sponsor you, will be possible only in one of the major U.S. cities. Elsewhere
you’ll need to be associated with a commercial interior design fi rm or an art gallery
that can provide you with a steady stream of business referrals.

[tiea-hunter]

Credit Consultant
Start-up cost: $2,000–$3,000
Potential earnings: $25,000–$40,000
Typical fees: Percentage of debt from client and from creditor (usually
10 to 15 percent from each)
Advertising: Yellow Pages, seminars, speeches to community groups,
classifi ed ads, newspapers, radio spots, banner ads on
fi nancial Web sites, your own Web site with consumer
credit tips and links to helpful online resources
Qualifi cations: A background in fi nance would be ideal
Equipment needed: Business cards, letterhead, envelopes, computer, printer, fax,
spreadsheet software
Staff required: No; may need administrative support
Hidden costs: Insurance

What You Do
As a credit counselor you work with people who have overextended themselves
fi nancially. Your clients will come to you for help in dealing with an unmanageable
credit burden. How big is this market? We’ve all heard the stories about the
credit cards that pour into people’s mailboxes, even cards with “Fido” printed on
them in gold letters. Fido’s credit rating has “already been preapproved.” Credit
card debt is at an historic high right now, and not everyone has budgeted for the
payments. You will negotiate with the creditors to develop a manageable payment
plan. Your client pays you a small percentage of what is owed, and the creditors
also compensate you as the plan you work out most likely prevents the debt from
being a complete loss.

What You Need
Your offi ce can be quite minimal at fi rst; you should be able to get away with
spending $3,000–$5,000 maximum. Since your business depends on how many
clients you can secure (i.e., how many stay with the program, so to speak), you
should be able to make a decent living ($25,000–$40,000).

Keys to Success
You’re providing a valuable service to desperate, guilty, and frustrated people. Th is
situation can be rewarding or draining, depending on the individuals involved. For
most debtors, dealing with the pain feels much better than watching it spiral out
of control. You will probably have the opportunity to add some education and psychological
support into your services. Th is will allow you to gain the satisfaction of
knowing that you have helped to improve a person’s or family’s fi nancial standing.

[tiea-hunter]

Dating Service
Start-up cost: $15,000–$150,000 (depending on how high-tech you
want to be)
Potential earnings: $50,000–$1.5 million
Typical fees: $150 per client (for a six-month subscription)
Advertising: Yellow Pages, classifi ed ads, 900 numbers, television ads,
singles magazines, banner ads on singles sites
Qualifi cations: None
Equipment needed: Extensive phone system for 900 numbers, computer (with
many using computer video programs to showcase their
clients), Web site with candidate sign-up, screening, search
and match capability

Staff required: Yes
Hidden costs: Computerized systems can run as high as $40,000

What You Do
“Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a living.” Today’s dating scene is vastly different
from the old days, when a village woman made matches based on how her
knee was feeling that day. Tired of meeting people in bars and the regular “sweat
shops,” many young professionals simply want a confi dential, effi cient way to meet
the man or woman of their dreams. Th e Web off ers an even more accessible way

for them to accomplish their goal of fi nding the perfect mate. Because your clients
don’t have the time to screen a hundred or so applicants, you can provide this
service for them—and at a competitive rate. ( Just because they don’t have time certainly
doesn’t mean they don’t have money.) You’ll need to fi rst decide what kind
of dating service you’d most like to off er: a well-respected, high-profi le Web-based
agency; an impersonal (yet profi table) 900 number. Either type requires you to
manage profi les of your clients, so you’ll need to have them answer questionnaires
detailing their hobbies, interests, and desires in a potential mate, which is easy if
your service is Web-based. Th e next steps are to make this information readily
available to your client base—and keep track of your successes!

What You Need
Your start-up costs can be quite high, based on the fact that most of your competitors
(both large and small) are investing in Web-based technology that does it all in a
few steps: fi rst conducting the interview, then recording the interviewee and, fi nally,
selecting a potential match from the data bank. All of this could run anywhere from
$40,000–$150,000, so be sure to investigate those costs well enough to document
them in your business plan, particularly if you are going to need investors.

Keys to Success
Th is is the love business, so what’s not to love? For one thing, you’ll be meeting
quite an array of interesting people, and you’ll be helping them to fi nd long-lasting
happiness. But what if it doesn’t work out? Are you prepared to deal with broken
hearts, all the while encouraging them to stay in the game? If the answer is yes,
you’ll be heartily rewarded for your eff orts.

[tiea-hunter]

From the thread view I understand that there is a interest for the published business ideas, please enjoy another 3 or 5 more

[tiea-hunter]

Disability Consultant
Start-up cost: $2,000–$4,000
Potential earnings: $50,000–$75,000
Typical fees: $60–$80 per hour
Advertising: Direct mail, referrals, membership in business
organizations, Web site with testimonials about how you’ve
helped save companies money
Qualifi cations: Extensive experience in fi eld, college degree in related area,
ability to communicate well with employers and employees,
good writing skills

Equipment needed: Cell phone, computer, printer, offi ce furniture, business
cards, letterhead, envelopes

Staff required: No
Hidden costs: Insurance, association dues, conferences and seminars

What You Do
As a disability consultant you will advise corporations on disability claims and
assist them in meeting the requirements of all government and regulatory bodies.
Nothing is cut and dried about the disability fi eld, and rapid changes have left
even the best-intentioned employers confused about what they must do to be in
compliance. Disability claims made by employees are a major cost in some industries,
and your recommendations for alterations in the setup of the workplace or
refi nements in work processes could be seen as extremely valuable.
Managing medical claims is another important function. Th e confl icts arising
from the most common worker problem—back pain—need expert management,
both for medical treatment and for the maintenance of good relations with
the employee. Th e third aspect of this fi eld is the requirement to make reasonable
accommodations for disabled workers. Creative consultants can often fi nd ways to
make small alterations in the workplace, such as lowering the height of a counter
to enable a wheelchair-bound person to fi ll a position at the company.

What You Need
Most of your work will be carried out at the companies for which you are assessing
and handling claims, but you will need your own offi ce for writing reports and
possibly for client meetings. Expect to spend $2,000–$4,000 for your computer
system and Web site. Charge $60–$80 per hour for this service, which can save a
company thousands of dollars per year.

Keys to Success
If you have experience in this complex fi eld and can communicate with both sides,
the disabled and the employer, you can build a business as a disability consultant.
In fact, some disabled people do just this, using their own perspectives to enrich
the services they can off er to other organizations. Enabling people with disabilities
to hold jobs is an important service, and it keeps employers on the right side of
the law as well.

[tiea-hunter]

e-Book Publisher
Start-up cost: $150–$2,500
Potential earnings: $35,000–$60,000
Typical fees: $150–$350 for e-book production using e-book creation
software; $500 and up if your services include book editing
and proofreading

Advertising: Writers’ magazines online forums or chats, banner
ads on creative writing Web sites, reciprocal links with
complementary businesses (such as e-bookstores and cyber
cafés)
Qualifi cations: Experience in e-commerce, marketing, and design, as well
as Web creation and management and some book editing
Equipment needed: Computer, e-book creation software, online hosting service
with e-commerce capability (to help your clients sell their
books), access to graphic design services or a good e-book
design program
Staff required: No

Hidden costs: Corrections can be time-consuming and therefore costly;
make sure your customer proofreads the work prior to
production or have a policy that there will be charges
beyond a set number of corrections

What You Do
Th ousands of people believe there is at least one good book in them and that
with the aff ordable technology available today, there’s no reason why they can’t
produce that book. Th ese days all an author needs to do is turn a manuscript into
portable digital format (such as .pdf using Adobe Acrobat) and hook up with a
printing service that will only print and ship copies as they are ordered. As an
e-book or print-on-demand publisher, you will help others to get their words into
downloadable, inexpensive electronic books that, if properly promoted, can make
both you and the author money while you sleep. You can either go high-end and
set up your own Web site to host and promote downloadable books, or you can
off er book packaging (preparation) services and guide others through working
with more established e-book or print-on-demand publishers such as Xlibris.
com, iUniverse.com, Upublish.com, and AuthorHouse.com. You can help others
to make their books see the light of day—off ering personalized services that large
publishing houses no longer off er new authors.

What You Need
All you need to turn dreams into reality is a good computer with high-quality
e-book creation software. Th ere are many inexpensive versions on the market, and
while you can start with one of these, you will quickly fi nd that there are limitations,
such as the inability to design a nice e-book cover. Th e higher-end versions
typically include templates for cover designs, and that will be a very useful promotional
tool for the book’s sales page in your online bookstore. Spring for the extra
hundred bucks if you’re really serious about producing highquality e-books.

Keys to Success
In the late 1990s, e-books were not yet considered to be a viable option in the
publishing world. Since then, many large publishers such as Random House have
launched their own electronic book divisions (Xlibris.com). Th e competitive
landscape is growing larger; the key to success is to identify niche books that have
built-in markets and specialized audiences to whom you can promote. Topics that
are too broad or that try to appeal to mass audiences don’t stand as good a chance,
especially when you compare your promotional budget to Random House’s.

[tiea-hunter]

Effi ciency Expert
Start-up cost: $5,000–$10,000
Potential earnings: $35,000–$75,000+ (depending on your market)
Typical fees: $75–$100 per hour or a monthly retainer of $3,000–
$5,000

Advertising: Trade publications, Yellow Pages, direct mail, business
newspapers, banner ads on small-business Web sites and
a link to your own Web site with some free time- and
money-saving tips plus testimonials

Qualifi cations: Ability to spot potential problems and time-wasters before
and as they occur; business degree and extensive business
experience in operations and management
Equipment needed: Cell phone, computer, fax, printer, resource materials
Staff required: No
Hidden costs: Insurance, under billing for amount of time spent

What You Do
Corporations often have CEOs who want the company run like clockwork, particularly
if there are production goals to be met regularly. As an effi ciency expert,
you will come into a company for a period of about two to four weeks and carefully
monitor exactly how things are being done. You will ask workers questions such
as, “Why are you repeatedly moving across the room to accomplish one simple
task?” and “Is there any other way to minimize the steps involved in your particular
process?” You are, in a sense, a detective searching for answers to the big question,
which is, of course: “How can this company achieve more in a better and more
economical way?” Next, you’ll print up a report or make a formal presentation,
telling the CEO how he or she can improve operations. You should have a rather
broad background in business operations, management experience, and a strong
eye for detail. After all, your client companies will be paying you big bucks to fi gure
out what needs to be improved upon at their facilities. You have to convey the idea
that you’re worth it, so watch your own image and always give 110 percent.

What You Need
Start-up expenses will be relatively low (in the $5,000–$10,000 range), but you
should do quite well when you consider what you might be able to earn if you’re
good at what you do ($35,000–$75,000 or more). You’ll need a basic offi ce setup
and lots of good resource materials to help workers achieve greater eff ectiveness.

Keys to Success
While some corporate moguls will hire you to tell them what’s wrong with their
organization, they may not be willing to actually listen. You’ll need to be clear from
the beginning that you are off ering your professional opinions and advice so that
your personal liability will be kept in check.

[tiea-hunter]

Employee Benefi ts Consultant
Start-up cost: $5,000–$8,000
Potential earnings: $30,000–$70,000
Typical fees: $25 and up per hour
Advertising: Direct mail, networking, memberships in business and
community organizations, Web site with links to related
resources

Qualifi cations: Extensive experience in insurance sales, ability to reach
business owners, detail orientation, communications skills
Equipment needed: Offi ce furniture, computer, fax, printer, cell phone, business
card, letterhead, envelopes
Staff required: No
Hidden costs: Preparation of presentation materials, online fees, errors
and omissions insurance

What You Do
An eff ective employee benefi ts program is an important factor in building a loyal
work force. Th e challenge is to create a combination of benefi ts that meets the
needs of the organization and also fi ts its budget. As an employee benefi ts consultant,
you will help growing businesses survey their employees to learn their needs
and wants regarding employer-paid insurance. You will work with business owners
to design the best combination of benefi ts for the dollars available. Businesses that
have between twenty and 200 employees comprise the best market.

What You Need
Most of your contact with clients will take place at their locations, so your offi ce
can be functional rather than impressive ($4,000 should get you started). You’ll
need to be easy for potential and current clients to reach, and you’ll need to produce
professional-looking presentations to client companies. You should plan to
earn about $30,000 in the beginning.

Keys to Success
Many insurance agents have terrible sales approaches. Th ey seem very eager for
their commissions and do not give ongoing service throughout the year. As annual
review time rolls around, these agents show up again with a plan to change to new
providers for a few dollars less. But implementation and employee education are
lacking. You will be able to set yourself apart if your focus is on customer service,
not your own profi t (at least outwardly). Experience in assisting with claims and
with confl icts that arise are also important selling points for your enterprise.

[tiea-hunter]

Employee Leasing
Start-up cost: $15,000–$35,000
Potential earnings: $60,000–$80,000
Typical fees: Mark up the going rates by 40 to 50 percent
Advertising: Direct mail, networking throughout business and trade
associations, publishing your own newsletter, Web site with
client testimonials
Qualifi cations: Knowledge of and contacts in a specifi c fi eld, excellent
organizational skills

Equipment needed: Offi ce furniture, computer, printer, fax, telephone headset
and/or cell phone, business card, letterhead, envelopes,
brochure

Staff required: No
Hidden costs: Liability insurance against employee misconduct, employee
screening costs (background checks and drug testing)

What You Do
While you may not be able to compete with the big, general agencies, you can
eff ectively run a small employee leasing agency. You provide to employers workers
with specialized skills, who cannot be reached through the traditional temp services.
Th is business produces good earnings relative to time and materials: you’re
not doing the actual work, just the organization. Build your database of specialists
in a fi eld you have experience with, then begin direct mail, banner advertising or
an e-mail campaign to reach your prospective clients.

What You Need
Although the cost of building your initial database and center of operations is not
high, you will need a sizable initial investment ($20,000) to cover the delays in
cash fl ow between your clients and your employees. You could see at least $60,000
at the end of your fi rst year.

Keys to Success
You may need to consult an attorney to stay abreast of the laws regarding taxes,
workers’ compensation, and employment. Some types of temps will need to be
bonded, and you will need to measure the advantages of incorporation over the
extra costs and red tape involved.

[tax-haven]

WoW thats some really exciding business ideas. Even I know that they may copy/paste from somewhere then your share is much appreciated

[tiea-hunter]

Fax-on-Demand Service
Start-up cost: $12,000–$15,000
Potential earnings: $20,000–$50,000
Typical fees: $150–$300/month to cover incoming calls, with unlimited
responses, or lower monthly fees with charge for each
response
Advertising: Trade journals, direct mail, direct solicitations to local
businesses, seminars and banner ads on small-business
Web sites, your own Web site with available packages and
pricing options

Qualifi cations: Knowledge of technology and software, marketing ability
Equipment needed: Modifi ed computer with special fax board, customized
software, scanner, offi ce furniture
Staff required: No
Hidden costs: Additional phone lines

What You Do
You will provide the technology that allows smaller companies and professionals
to match the fax-on-demand systems being set up in-house by large organizations.
Your clients will make information available to their customers or employees
around the clock. Th ese people call to ask for information, and your automated
faxing system instantly sends them the newsletter, data sheet, or restaurant menu
they have requested. Automatic broadcasting can reach sales reps or members of
an interest group. Once businesses understand how their marketing eff orts can be
supported by fax-on-demand, they will form an ongoing clientele and a source of
steady income for you. But your fi rst task will be to help them see the possibilities
inherent in this technology, since most people aren’t aware of its options or
capabilities. How will what you do be diff erent from e-messaging? You will off er
companies the ability to send information about their products and services to
people who “opt-in” but want to see it on paper. Believe it or not, the fax is still in
demand.

What You Need
Th is is an expensive business to get into, with start-up costs averaging $15,000.
Getting the funding to set it up may present quite a challenge, since it is a relatively
new type of business. However if you’re creative, you’ll fi nd ways to purchase
the equipment you need economically; and you’ll be billing $150–$300 per client
per month, so you will have decent income once your customer base is well
established.

Keys to Success
You’re going to need a silver tongue and a genius for marketing to get a fax-ondemand
service off the ground. Finding organizations that need to send up-todate
printed materials in high volume will be the fi rst step. Creating possibilities
that click in with your prospects’ needs and assumptions will allow you to get
your message through to the people who can see advantages to cutting-edge
approaches.

[tiea-hunter]

Feng Shui Consultant
Start-up cost: $500–$1,500
Potential earnings: $40,000–$65,000
Typical fees: $100–$150 per hour consultation fee
Advertising: Local business and real estate publications, networking
with interior designers and architects, Web site, referrals,
teaching community college courses
Qualifi cations: Training and certifi cation from a bona fi de school of feng
shui would be helpful

Equipment needed: Compass, cell phone, possibly a computer for research if
desired
Staff required: No
Hidden costs: Subscriptions and membership dues, continuing education

What You Do
A feng shui consultant uses the ancient Chinese art of feng shui (which means
“wind and water”) to help businesses and homeowners recognize the most ideal
directions and placements for items in their personal space. Th e thinking behind
this is that if your belongings are in perfect alignment with unseen forces of
nature, allowing the positive fl ow of life-giving “chi” energy throughout, then you
will have a healthy and prosperous life in that space. To achieve the most positive
fl ow of chi, you’ll need to fi rst help your clients identify and remove clutter, so that
you can actually see where the best locations are for the remaining “intentional”
possessions. Th is can be a fun and very challenging business for those who enjoy
improving other people’s lives. You can really make a diff erence in the way they live,
simply by advising them on the best confi gurations for their meaningful possessions,
as well as the virtues of a clutter-free life!

What You Need
You really don’t need much to be a good feng shui consultant, since most of your
trade depends squarely on your knowledge and ability to convey that wisdom
eff ectively to clients. You might benefi t from having a computer to help you stay
on top of feng shui news and trends. If you follow the traditional school of feng
shui, you will be using a compass much of the time to determine ideal directions
for furniture placement.

Keys to Success
Referrals will be a signifi cant source of income for you, especially in your start-up
phase. You would do well in the beginning to network as much as possible with
architects and interior designers, but you may also consider off ering yourself as
a speaker at local libraries and events as a way of getting your name out there.
Many feng shui consultants are also teachers of this ancient art, so you should
defi nitely consider off ering courses through community centers or adult education
programs.

[tiea-hunter]

Financial Aid Consultant
Start-up cost: $2,000–$4,000
Potential earnings: $15,000–$40,000
Typical fees: Flat rates of $150–$500
Advertising: Yellow Pages, classifi ed ads, direct mail, membership to
and participation in community organizations related to
education, seminars and speeches for community groups,
networking, Web site that’s easily located via search engines
Qualifi cations: Experience as a school guidance counselor or college
admissions offi cer, extensive knowledge of the fi eld, ability
to relate well to college applicants and their parents
Equipment needed: Offi ce with conference table for meeting clients, computer,
suite software, Internet access, fax, printer, business cards,
letterhead, envelopes

Staff required: No
Hidden costs: Subscriptions, Internet Service Provider fees, association dues

What You Do
Th e cost of higher education continues to escalate. And while one often hears that
many types of fi nancial aid are available, fi nding them is quite another matter.
Families need guidance and assistance in fi nding the sources to which they can
apply and in preparing the paperwork. Your services as a fi nancial aid consultant
will be in great demand once your name gets known to the community at large.
Word of mouth from students you have helped and from their parents will bring
you new business regularly. You will need a lot of familiarity with fi nancial aid
options to make a success of this type of consulting, and you will need excellent
people skills as well. Some fi nancial aid consultants research options on the Internet,
while other specialize in aid for private secondary or even elementary school
tuition. Th e bulk of the market, though, is for students entering college.

What You Need
Keeping your own knowledge up-to-date and providing a suitable place for
interviewing clients are your two main expenses ($2,000 to start). Part-time work
could earn you $15,000; rates could range anywhere from $150–$500 per job,
depending on both complexity of paperwork and your geographical location.

Keys to Success
Many parents experience major shock when they fi rst realize how much having
one or more children enrolled in the ivied halls is going to set them back. And even
the “simple” fi nancial aid forms for determining basic fi nancial need are far from
easy to cope with. You can also provide vital help in fi nding the multitude of special
scholarships available for students with a certain heritage, a special academic
interest, or some other specifi c characteristic.

[tiea-hunter]

Financial Planner
Start-up cost: $5,000–$8,000
Potential earnings: $40,000–$60,000
Typical fees: Set fee depending on investments, typically $250–$500 or
more
Advertising: Networking, memberships in community and business
groups, local magazines and newspapers, programs of
fundraisers, Web site with some free tips

Qualifi cations: Certifi cation is becoming essential; familiarity with
fi nancial issues; marketing skills; ability to inspire trust
Equipment needed: Computer, printer, suite software, Internet access, fax, online
account, furniture, business card, letterhead, envelopes
Staff required: No
Hidden costs: Subscriptions to newspapers and fi nancial periodicals,
errors and omissions insurance

What You Do
Th e market for fi nancial planning services is becoming very large, especially as
the baby boom generation draws close to retirement. In fact, some of them are
already there, but they haven’t planned as well as they could have for the inevitable.
Your biggest diffi culty in establishing your business will be that so many others are
competing with you. Th e fi nancial planning business is just one piece of what a fullservice
investment company does for its clients, so you’ll have to position yourself
as a more personalized service than your competitors. You’ll probably also need
to be part of a close network of family, friends, and acquaintances who will work
with you and refer you to their friends. Th is is a very personal business, and your
ability to inspire confi dence will be vital. Creativity in helping your clients plan their
fi nancial future and skill at helping them achieve those goals will set you apart. Is
there an underserved group you can target? Can you design plans for self-employed
people, the elderly, or investment clubs? Can you work in association with related
businesses such as accountant fi rms to add your service onto their off erings?

What You Need
Your offi ce needs to give you the up-to-the-moment information you need for
proper service to your clients (around $3,000 to start); however, you could earn
upward of $40,000.

Keys to Success
Most people manage their money very poorly, if at all. Th ey don’t plan well or
budget, and they haven’t faced up to the question of how to provide for retirement.
All of these are diffi cult topics, and dealing with these sensitive issues makes
people uncomfortable. You can smooth things over with a reassuring attitude, and
by paying attention to the details of your client’s fi nances that they overlook.

EXPERT ADVICE
What sets your business apart from others like it?
Dianne Winnen, a Certifi ed Financial Planner in Akron, Ohio, says she is
diff erent because her business caters to middle-income people rather than focusing
on seniors with retirement funds. “I’m one of 31,000 CFPs in the country, and I’m
proud to be a part of a select group.”
Things you couldn’t do without
“I couldn’t do without my computer, telephone, and copier.”
Marketing tips
“You really have to want to be in this fi eld to make it successful for you.
Read and educate yourself about business matters.”
If you had to do it all over again . . .
“I would’ve gone in with more realistic expectations about what it would
take to survive the fi rst couple of years.”

[tiea-hunter]

Freelance Writer/Copyeditor/Illustrator
Start-up cost: $2,000–$5,000
Potential earnings: $22,500–$50,000
Typical fees: $50–$150 per hour, depending on area and experience
level
Advertising: Personal contacts, trade publications, Web site with links
to your online portfolio and a well-planned contact form
that enables potential customers to quickly tell you about
their project
Qualifi cations: Attention to detail and organizational ability; Writing and
communication skills for freelance writing and copyediting,
sense for graphics and design for freelance illustrating
Equipment needed: High-end computer (Mac-based would be best for
designers and illustrators) with light pen or graphics tablet
and a high resolution graphics video card (for illustrating),
scanner, printer, word processing, design and contact
management software, fast Internet access, fax, offi ce
furniture, reference books, business cards

Staff required: No
Hidden costs: Maintaining personal contacts (business lunches, etc.),
memberships in trade organizations, software upgrades

What You Do
Many people have made careers out of freelance writing, copyediting, and illustrating—
and many more are trying. Success will come for you when you can distinguish
your services from those of others who will work for much less; remind clients that
they get what they pay for. Excellent communication skills are required to discover
exactly what your clients want and need. You then turn those skills around to produce
the corrected materials, written texts, or illustrations that will support your
clients’ needs. Th is business is built entirely on your abilities, and that requires building
up trust slowly and carefully before you can obtain the big projects that bring in
enough income to make you fi nancially successful. Using your creativity and focusing
on goals are both essential. No detail can slip by your eye. But successful projects will
bring you referrals, and each small step can lead to a bigger one.
As a writer, you will work on special editorial projects for clients ranging
from small business owners to universities to newspapers—and, if you’re a copywriter,
you may even be lucky enough to snag a corporate client or two in-between.
Your projects might be as specialized as an article for a trade journal or a corporate
history; then again, you could be a generalist who writes articles on a wide variety
of topics for various magazines and newspapers. Your best bet, at least in the
beginning, is to produce brochures for small businesses.
As a copyeditor, you will focus your energies on making sure everything
that you see goes back to the publisher as mistake-free as is humanly possible. You
will correct grammatical errors, spelling and punctuation mistakes, and even poor
sentence fl ow. Your job is to ensure that all the words on the page make sense and
have a certain rhythm to them, so that the reader is carried along through the book
logically and comfortably. You may end up copyediting thousands of projects, from
annual reports and menus to book-length manuscripts.
As a freelance illustrator, you will market your work to various publishing
houses, ultimately in search of a regular contract with at least one. If you do
secure a contract, you may design and produce book covers as well as artwork to
accompany the text. Th is area of expertise is particularly lucrative for those who
can produce lively, entertaining illustrations for children’s books.

What You Need
You’ll be spending a lot of time in your offi ce, so whether you plan to meet clients
there or not, you’ll need to make it an eff ective workspace. Th e high-end computer
equipment needed to produce professional results is costly, averaging $2,000–$5,000.
Your hourly rates should cover all of your overhead, so price yourself competitively
in the $50–$150 per hour range. For designers and illustrators, a Mac is a must.

Keys to Success
You can indulge your love of words and/or graphics to the max in the freelance
world. You will be learning something new with each project, and you will have the
satisfaction of seeing everything you produce be published. Working to support
your client businesses can result in a satisfying partnership. However, pricing your
services can be very diffi cult. Nonwriters often do not appreciate the time and
eff ort that goes into producing an eff ective piece of writing, and there are many
writers out there in the marketplace who are likely to undercut you. Deadlines
are always too short, and sometimes it can be diffi cult to obtain the background
information needed from a client.
Any way you look at it, freelance writers, copyeditors, and illustrators are
typically driven, hardworking people who have earned the circles under their eyes
the hard way.

EXPERT ADVICE
What sets your business apart from others like it?
Ruth Dean, owner of Th e Writing Toolbox in Akron, Ohio, says her business
is unique because she listens well and helps clients clarify their ideas and
plans. She specializes in technical marketing communications and gets her best
results by writing to appeal to the client’s intended audience, not just to the client.
Things you couldn’t do without
“Th e fax is essential. Clients want instant communication.” A computer and
laser printer are also necessities.
Marketing tips
Dean markets by networking. “I just ask clients about their business and
listen. Th at’s all it takes. It’s important to have writing samples available in simple
‘packages’ so that clients who are not accustomed to working with writers can
fi gure out how to hire you.”
If you had to do it all over again . . .
“I wouldn’t have waited so long to go out on my own.”